Cream-separator



J. STAMF'EN;

CREAM SEP ARATOR: APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, i9i9.

wen/Lev:

JU I

Patented Dec. 30,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET1 J. STAMPEN.

CREAM SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.2I. 1919.

1,326,376. Patented Dec. 30,1919

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wxfmeag/ CWYt; Emma jDI/ 7 d STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JACOB STAMPEN, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CREAM-SEIARATYOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patnted -l )e( 30, 1919.

Original application filed September 7,.1915, Serial No. 49,273. Dividedand this application filed April 21,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jason STAMPEN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cookand State *o'f'lllinois, have invented certain new and machines by meansof which cream or but.- ter'fat-, or relatively light particles may beseparated from'the' relatively heavy particles of, milk orliquidcontaining such parti- -.The principal object' of the invention istoprovide a simple, economical and efficient cream separator.

A'further object is to provide ajseparator having a b6wl provided withseparator lates adapted to enable thebowl to be well Balanced"automatically, or a self-balancing bowl and separator disks or'plates.adapted to be well balanced and readily cleaned.

Other and further objects of the invention xwillappear from anexamination of the specification and from an, inspection of theaccompanying drawings which are made a part hereof.

The invention consists in the features, combinations, and details ofconstruction herein described and claimed.

In'the, accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in central verticalsection showing a separator bowl constructed in accordance with myinvention, and showing the l thebowl,-'as the samewould appear taken online 2 -2 of Eigfl looking downward,

ing. through which the vert cal-bowl-sup- Serial No. 291,597.

elevation of the bowl shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the upper part of thebowl shell broken away, so as to show the separator disks or plates inside elevation and tipped or tilted with respect to each other, tollustrate their relatively tilted orslightly inclined positions intowhich they are adapted to be moved oifltilted with respect toeaoh otherwhen the bowl and disks are in bal anced position or'in operation, theextent of inclination or tilting of such disks as. areshown tilted,being exaggerated for the purpose of illustration.- I

This application is a division- Of a pen d ing allowed applicationSerial No.49,273, filed September 7, 1915, by Jacob Stampen, for animprovement in cream separators, on which Letters Patent of the UnitedStates have issued April 22,'191 9, numbered In constructing a creamseparator or centrifugal machine in accordance with my invention, Iprovide a main frame a, compris ing a gear box or'oil-containingcompartment having-side walls 6, end walls 0 and a base 03. The gearchamber or oil reservoir 6 thus formed is provided 'with a cover 7'-which is removably mounted on' the main frame or gear-containing.chamber in position to cover and inclose" thesame. Themam frame: orgear-containing cas ng a is mounted upon a suitable: support or framehwhich may be of any desired ordinary or well known or suitable form.

An inner, 5 upwardly extending stationary frame portion 8 is formed, bypreference in one integral piece with the main frame a and proJectsupward into .or through the usual top opening t'in'th'e cover f,invposition-t0 form a support for a yielding bearporting-spindle 8extends.

but s'hp wing-the separator disks or top separator pla'tge, hollow shaftand accelerator blades in",plan- ;view',;with said blades in engagementwith the plates and showing the annular'lspace be'tween the hollow shaftand the inner edges or .perimeters of the' disks, and-the space: betweenthe outer edges P pheriesof the disk: and the wall of the bowl shell;and-4 Fig. "3 'is'a- 'view'of reduced size in side The bottomv end of;the vertical spindle s' is rotatively. supportedfin. a suitable bottombearing 2 whichjmay he of any ordinary, well known or desired ,-f orm,.and is thereloo fore not shown or, described in detail.. herein."'

The upper yielding hearing or neck bear ing comprises in itsconstruction. a stati on ary bearing member 'u secured to said frameportion a by means 'of screws' '0', or other'- suitable securing means,and having a central aperture: through which" the vertical I spindleextends. late'rall movable vertii cally apertured sleeve or aring memberw encircles and forms a bearing for the spindle s, andis adapted to movelaterally with said spindle, and a resilient m mber -;z which is hereshown in the fornr'of a '5 helical springsupported by the stationarythread in the inner face of the member at,

corresponding to the windings of the spring which is screwed into saidhelical groove; and th lower extremity of the spring is ls' fitted to anouter lower helically grooved portion of the sleeve .-w, which isadapted to engage the inner sides of the'lower windings ofithespring, sothat the sleeve is yieldingly supported by means of the, spring. Themovement of the" sleeve 10 and thespindle s laterally 'is thus permittedbut yieldingly resisted by the spring, the sleeve to being provided.witlr'a central aperture through which'the spindle extends, as alreadysuggested, and the stationary bearing member .Ht being provided with anaperture of suliicient diameter'to admit the spring between thesleeveand said stationary member and permit lateral movement of the sleevewsofllwith'nespeet to said stationarybearing mem- A rotativ separatorbowl is provided, which, when constructed as shown in the drawings,comprises a main body or cylin- .8 5 drical bowl shell 3 having sidewalls 14 made by preference integral with and forming the sides oreripheral wall brtions of the u per mem r or cover of t 1e bowl shell. Te bottom extremity of the cylindrical wall portions or main body 14 ofthe' bowl shell encircles. and is tightly, but, by preference, removablysecured to the periphery of the bowl base or bottom member 15 of thebowl shell; A central hollow shaft 16 is provided, and. by preference,has its lower extremity secured to and in threaded engage; ment with thebase 15, andextends vertically from the axial center of the base to theupper extremity of the bowl shell on so the inside of and at the axialcenter of the same. This hollow shaft is provided with lateral openings17 leading from the central hollow upper portion or milk inlet passage18 into the liquid-containing separator chamber 19. The upper extremitvof the hollow shaft 16 projects upward through a central openin; in theupper portion 20 0f the bowl cover or upper-bowl member 14. and athreaded nut 21. is mounted .in

threaded engagement with the projecting upperthreaded end of the hollowshaft. and in. securing engagement with the 'top 'surface of the upperportion 20 of the bowl cover 14; and the latter is thus securely held 66in liquid-tightengagement with the base 15.

An ordinary packing ring 4 of rubber or similar. compressible materialis interposed between the adjacent peripheral portions of I the c ,vermember or main body of the bowl and t e base, or bottom member.

A discharge spout 47 from a float cup 45 is controlled by a float 48.Said spout empties into the axial passage 18, and the float cup isinposition to receive milk from an ordinary supply can.

The hollow shaft 16 is provided with axial opening 22 .in its, lowerextremity,

convenience in construction, a bushing 23 is,

inserted inv the hollow bottom endof the hollow shaft and in position toextend upward on the inside of the latter and at its -which opening is,by preference, tapered axial center, to a point near the upper exand avet-he tremity of the hollow shaft center of the bowl; and the taperedopening 22 is formed in said bushing. .T'he separator bowl, is thussupported in fixed relation toa'ndis'adapted to rotate with the verticalspindle, and. to be. readily removed.andire- 'placedu g I A series ofsuperposed separator disks or plates 24, which aretiamcated-cone-shaped, and spaced apart by means of spacing 25,which arebyprefere'nce, 1nte ral with the body of th separator disk of which theyform a part, each of which pirrjects downward and inward from and beyondthe bottomjnner siiiface of the disk of which it forms apart, aremounted on the inside of thebowl shell, in theseparator chamber 19, andimposition to encircle the hollow shaft. Each of said separator ,disksor plates is provided with a central aperture 26 through which thehollow shaft extends. T hese central o1" axial'openings 26 are of largerdiameter than the outer diameter of the cylindrical hollow shaft 16, andthe outer pcripheriesor peripheral cdgcsof the disks are of lessdiameter than the inner cylindrical encircling wall or inner face of thewall 14 of the bowl shell where said wall encircles said disks. Eachseparator disk or plate 24 has, by preference three radial notches 27leading from the inner edge or perimeterof the disk outward radially andspaced apart equally, and with their .outer extremities at. equaldistances from the axial center of thedisk. 'lhcse radial notches27, ofwhich there are a plu- -rality-preferably thrce--in each disk, equallyspaced apart circumierentially or around the axis of the'disk, are allof identical shapeV-shaped at their outer extremities; and the bodies ofthe disks are all alike throughoutthe-portions thereof in which theouter icxtrcniitics of the. radial notches or slots 2" are located- And,by

preference, all are of the same form anddimensions throughout. Thepoints or outer disk, said edges of the each disk are triangular orll-shaped, and are so located with respect to each other that each formsthe corner, angle or vertex of true triangle, the center of which is theaxial center of the disk and the axis of rotation elf-the disks andbowl, said extremities and the triangle having the outermost pointsthereof all normally located in or approximately perpendicular to theaxis of the disk and at equal distances from the axial center of theplane being parallel with and between the planes of theupper and lowerdisks or separator plates.

The hollow'shaft l6 extends vertically through the entire series ofdisks or separater plates 24: at the axial center of the bowl shell andcentrally through the axial openings 26 and entirely,outof contact withthe inner circular edges or perimeters of the disks or separator plates.And a series of upright radial accelerator blades 28by preference threein numberextend vertically through the radial notches 27 in the disks,

shaft and into said and'through all of the disks or separator plates,and are, by preterence, secured to' or made integral with the hollowshaft 16,

and project outward radially from said notches. These radial blades 28are all spaced apart equally and uniformly around the shaft and in ofthe axial center of thehollow shaft and bowl shell; and each of theplurality of radial blades has ail-upright triangular or V-shaped outeredge 29. which extends vertically through the corresponding radiallynotched portions "of the entire series of disks or plates, said verticaledges beingspaced apart uniformly circumferentially or at equaldistances from each other around the axial center of the bowl shelland/hollow shaft. They the top are thus all located at equal distancesfrom the axial center of the bowl shell and hollow and in parallelrelation to said axial center bowl shell and hollow shaft. These uprightouter edges 29 of the radial are each in close but sliding engagementwith the'adjacent V-shaped extremities 29 of all of the radial whichsuch blade or triangular edge extends. Each disk or separator plate 24thus has three contact points in the form of three V'shaped extremities29 of its radially notched portions in close but sliding engagement withthe three upright parallel triangular edges 29 of the upright radialblades 28; and each disk or plate is in engagement with said blades atsaid three points only; and thevertical edges of the which are parallelwith and'all atequal disparallel'relation to each other,

blades.

notches 28 through 'sponding tanccs from the axial center of the bowlwall of the bowl shell is also out of contact with the disks orseparator plates and adapted to provide spaces between the peripheriesof the disks and the wall of the bowl shell and between the hollow shaftand blades and the disks through which liquid may pass when theseparator is in operation.

The three points of contact on each disk are all in the same plane, andare, by preference, all in or near the same horizontal plane in whichthe center of gravity of the disk or separator plate is located, saidhinebeing between and parallel with the planes of and bottom circularedges of the disk, said edges being in parallel planes as shown.

I Each separator plate or disk is iii suflic iently close slidingengagement with the edges of the radial blades at its three points ofcontact 29 to prevent any movement of such disk or separator platetransversely into contact with the side wall or peripheral wall of thebowl shell or into contact my the periphery; of the hollow .hait, ortransversely of the bowl, or awry 'from concentric position w ithi-cspect to "the axial center of the hollow shaft and'bowl she l, ortransversely in the sameplanc in which such three pointsof contact 29 ofany given disk are located.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily 'seen that separatorplates are all held witlrthcir outer peripheral edges entirely out ofcontact 'or engagement with the peripheral side walls of the bowl shell,and, by preference, with their inner edges or perimeters also entirelyout of contact with the hollow shaft or any other adjacent part, so thatthe disks are free and entirely out of contact at both their inner andouter edges with all other parts and unobstructed and free to moveupward or downward or to tilt to any inclined position or to horizontalposition from any tilted or inclinedposition While being retained inconcentric position by the upright radial blades, and that, even whenslightly tilted at an angle with res 'iect to the axial center of thebowl shell, each separator plate or disk will have three points ofcontact 29 in contact with .tln'eecorreparallel edges 29 of the radialblades, all of which edges are parallel with and at equal distances fromthe axial center of the bowl shell, and hollow shaft, and have.

a constant unvarying relation to said axial center, and that each diskhas no other point acent 130 of contact other than the next disks, andthe contact of the bottom disk shell adapted to permit the proper flowof with'the bottom of the bowl, or the possible engagement of the topdisk with the part 32 above it when such top plate or separator disk istilted or raised fronpits normal position, as it is permitted to beraised or tilted,

skimmed or separated milk through said passage 30 and through the space31 between the top liner plate 32 and the conical upper wall or top 33of the bowl shell, and outv through the skimmed milk discharge passageinto the milk cover or receptacle The inner edges of thedisks beingentirely out ofcontact with the hollow shaft, an annularunobstructedspace is provided between said inner edges and the hollowshaft adapted to permit the passage of lighter particles of creamthrough the openings 26 in the separator plates and upward through theannular passage thus formed varound the hollow shaft, and on the insideof theplate 32 and out through the cream outlet or outlets 36 into thecream receptacle 37.

The top liner plate 32, which is without radial notches, and extendsover the radial blades and over the topmost notched separator plate 24,is spaced apart from the latter, or, in other words. mounted asufficient distance above the initial or normal position of the topmostnotched separator plate to provide a space 38 between said plate 32 andsaid topmost separator plate,'which space is adapted to permit theseparator plates'to rise slightly and to automatically assume theslightly raised or tilted positions, or inclined positions relatively toeach other or to the vertical axis of rotation, but rctained inconcentric relation to said axis of rotation by the points of contactbetween the radial blades and the separator disks at the contact points29'," with liquid flowing between the plates and against their concavesurfaces, so as to tend to raise each of the plates slightly and yetpermit each plate to assume its properly balanced self-balancingposition concentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the .disksand bowl while the disks and bowl are in rapid rotation about the sameaxis, and the spindle yieldingly held in position by its yielding orneck bearing as described and shown.

Each disk isthus free to the greatest possible extent to assume itsownn-operly balanced position automatically w ile the disks and bowl are inrapid rotation. The disks thus are each permitted the required .free-,dom of movement upward or downward or V to tilted or inclined positionand from tilted or inclined position to horizontal position, or each toits properly balanced position substantially concentric with the axis ofrotation, so as to become automatically balanced and to be as far aspossible free to retain its proper balanced position like a gyrostat,and so as to resist any force tending to throw or cause it to be forcedor permitted to move out of its properly balanced position while inrapid rotation in the man-.

ner of a gyrostat or gyroscope.

The spindle s has a worm 56 thereon which is driven by a worm wheel 76on a drive shaft 57 rotatively mounted in suitable bearings.

' The driving gear may be of any desired known or suitable form.

I claim: v r 1. In a separator of the class described,

the combination of a-rotary bowl shell having liquid inlet and outletopenings, a series of superposed truncated-cone-shaped separator diskslocated inside of and in concentric relation to the bowl shell andhaving their peripheral edges spaced apart with respect to and out ofcontact with and movable upward and downward with respect to the wallsof the bowl shell, a plurality of up righti'adial blades mounted infixed relation to the bowl shell and having arallel uprightdisk-engaging edges spaced apart equally aroundard at equal distancesfrom the axis of the bowl shell and each in sliding engagement with andacting to hold the disks against lateral movement with respect to thebowl shell'and permit the tilting and upward and downward movement ofthe disks to balanced position, an upper bowl member located above andnormally but of contact with the top disk of the series, said top diskbeing provided with an unobstructed s ace between it and said upper bowlmemoeradapted to permit the free tilting and upward movement of thedisks to balanced position, with their outer peripheral edges out ofcontact with and free to move upward and downward with respect to thebowl shell, and means for rotating the bowl.

2. In a separator of the class described, the combination of a rotarybowl shell having liquid inlet and outlet openings, a series ofsuperposed truncated-cone shaped separator disks located inside of andin concentric relation to the bowl shell, each of said disks havingradial-notches in its inner perimeter the outer extremities of saidnotches being in a plane between and parallel with respect to the planesof the top and bottom edges of such disk, the peripheral edges of saiddisks being out of contact with and movable upward and downward withrespect to the walls of the bowl shell, a plurality of uprightbladcmounted in fixed relation to the bowl shell and having parallelupright disk-engaging edges spaced apart equally around and at equaldistances from the axis of the bowl shell and at equal distances fromthe peripheries oi the disks, each of said edges being inslidingengagement with and acting to hfild the disksagainst transversemovement 'ith-respect tp the bowl shell in a plane. perpendicular to theaxis of rotation otZthe bowl shell, and adapted to permit the tiltingand upward and downward movement of the disks with respect to the bowlshell to balanced posi-.

tion, the top disk being provided with a space between it and the top ofthe bowl shell adapted to permit the free tilting and upward anddownward movement of the disks with respect to each other and withrespect to the bowl shell to balanced posit-ion concentric to the axisof rotation of the bowl shell and disks, with their peripheral edges 1lation to the bowl shell, each of said disks having its hollow orconcave side downward and having radial notches in its inner perimeter,the outer extremities of said notches being in a plane between andparallel with respect to the planes of the top and bottom circular edgesof the disk, the peripheral edges said disks being spaced apart withrespect to and entirely out'of contact with the walls of the bowl shell,a plurality of upright radial'blades mounted in fixed relation to thebowl shell and having parallel upright disk-engaging;= edges spacedapart equally around and at equal distances from the axis of the bowlshell and each insliding engagement with and. acting to hold the d' isagainst transverse movement with respect to the bowl shell and permitthe tilti g and upward and downward movement of the disks to balancedposition out of contact with the side walls of the bowl shell, thepoints of contact betr (on said blades and the disks being at the outerextremities of said radial notches onlythe top disk being spaced apartwith respect to the top of the. bowl shell, to permit theirce tiltingand upward and downward mover c'nt of the disks with respect to eachother and with respect to thebowl shell to balanced position with theirinner and outer perimeters out of contact with all other parts and freeto of superposed truncatcd-cone-shaped sepa rator disks located insideof and in concentric relation to the bowl shell, each of said diskshaving radial notches in its inner perimeter, the outer extremities ofwhich notches are in a plane between and parallel with respect to theplanes of the top and bottpm edges of such disk, the peripheral edges ofsaid disks being out of contact with and movable upward and downwardwith respect to the walls of the bowl shell, an axial hollow shaft fixedto the bowl shell and eittending through and in concentric relation toand entirely out of contact with the series of disks and provided withan unobstructed annular space between said hollow shaft and the innerperimeters of the disks, a pin 'ality of upright radialv blades fixed tothe hollow shaft and having parallel upright disk engaging edges spacedapart equally around and at equal distances from the axis of the bowlshell and at equal distances from the peripheries of the disks, thepoints of contact between said blades and disks being at the outerextremities of said radial notches and blades an inner liner plate fixedto the bowl shell above and spaced apart with respect to the top disk ofsaid series, said top disk being provided with a space between it andsaid fixed top liner plate and adapted to permit tree tilting and upwardand downward movement of the disks with respect to each other and withrespect to the bowl shell to balanced position with their peripheriesout of contact with and freely movable with respect to the walls of thebowl shell, and means for rotating the bowl.

5. in a separator of the class described the combination of a rotarybowl shell ha ving liquid inlet and outletopenings, a series ofsuperposed truncated-conc-shaped separator disks located inside of andin concentrio relation to the bowl shell and each havthrec radialnotches in its inner perimeter, outer extremities of said notchesbeing'in a olanc between and parallel with respect to the planes of thetop and bottom circular ot er: of the disk, the peripheral edges of saiddisks being spaced apart with respect to each other and with respect tothe walls of the bowl shell and entirely out of contact with the latter.three radial upright blades mounted in fixed relation to the bowlshelland having parallel u iright diskengaging spaced apart equallyaround and at equal distances from the axis of the bowl shell and eachin sliding engagement with and acting to retain the disks 1n concentricposition and against transverse movement with respect to the bowl shelland permit the tilting and upward movement of the disks to balancedposition out of contact with the side walls of the bowl shell, thepoints of contact between said blades and disks being at the outerextremities of said notches and blades, an upperliner plate locatedabove and spaced apart with respect to the top disk of said series, topermit the tilting and upward and downward movement of the disks withrespect to each other and with respect to the bowl shell to balancedposition, with their peripheral edges out of contact with and'freelymovable upward and a downward with respect to the walls of the bowlshell, an upright rotary spindle upon which the bowl shell is mounted,means for supporting the bottom of the spindle, a yieldincr upperbearing in engage, ment with and ac apted to permit and yieldinglyresist the transverse movements of the spindle, and means for rotatingthe spindle. Signed at Chicago, Illinois, April 19, 1919.

JACOB STAM'PEN.

Witnesses:

HARRY I. CnoMER,

W. HARDING.

